Navy: 8 injured in explosion at N.J. base's boathouse

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A blast occurs as maintenance work is done on a vessel at a weapons station, the Navy says

Damage is contained in boathouse area, the Navy says

Eight people were injured in an explosion at a naval weapons station's boathouse in New Jersey Tuesday morning, the U.S. Navy said.

The blast at Naval Weapons Station Earle happened at about 9 a.m. while personnel were performing maintenance on a vessel, the Navy said in a news release.

Seven sailors and a Department of Defense civilian firefighter were injured.

Though all eight were taken to hospitals, none had life-threatening injuries. By Tuesday night, the Navy said seven of the eight had been treated and released after suffering minor injuries, mostly from smoke inhalation.

One sailor remained hospitalized and underwent surgery for a broken arm, the Navy said.

"The situation is stabilized. We are investigating the accident," Navy spokesman Mike Brady said.

Information on what exploded wasn't immediately available.

Authorities are investigating what caused the blast, the Navy said.

The workers' names were not immediately released.

"The damage from the explosion was contained within the boathouse area," the Navy's release said.

Naval Weapons Station Earle, which supplies ordnance to the Navy's Atlantic fleet carrier and other groups, is south of Middletown, New Jersey.